Combined carriage and hearse.



1%. 717,652. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

c. ANDERSON. I

COMBINED CARRIAGE AND HEARSE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1902. 7 HO MGDEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 717,652. PATENTED JAN. 6, 190a.

. 0. ANDERSON. A

COMBINED CARRIAGE AND HEABSE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-4113B! 2 I l 1 I Wxtnasas:

6; J of? c norms Ptrzks ca, Pumumn, WASHINGTON n c STATES NiT CHARLES ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBlNED CARRIAGE AND HEARSE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 717,652, dated January 6, 1903. application filed September 6,1902. Serial No. 122,383. (No model.)

To (m /Z witont it nary concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Carriage and Hearse, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a combined carriage and hearse; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a carriage, substantially of the ordinary construction, having the usual seating capacity, with a compartment for the reception of a casket or coflin, which compartment shall be located at the front of the carriagebody and transversely thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the movement of the casket or coffin and for firmly holding the same within the compartment therefor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in side elevation of a combined carriage and hearse embodying my invention, showing the hearse portion or compartment for the casket provided with drapery and ornamental trimmings. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the front portion of the carriage-body, showing the manner of detachably securing the casketcompartment or hearse portion thereto. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the casket-compartment, illustrating the means for clamping or holding the casket in position and also for facilitating its insertion into or removal from the compartment.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A represents the carriage-body, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction and mounted, as usual, upon wheels of the ordinary type. Between the front portion of the body A and the boot or drivers seat B is located the casket'compartment O, which is rectangular in cross-section and extends across the body and some distance be yond its sides, as is clearly shown in the drawings. The ends of the boxor compartment C may be provided on its upper portion with trimmings or ornamental pieces 0 of any suitable design, and the interior of the said compartment may be furnished with drapery or hangings c of any desired kind. The sides of the front portion of the body A are provided with sockets a to receive pintles a, which are secured at one of their ends to the box or casing O and are downturned, so as to fit in the sockets a, thus securely holding the casing or compartment 0 in position. At each end of the compartment O is located a doorframe D, which is preferably provided with a pane of glass d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. These frames are secured at their rear edges to the back portion of the casing G by means of hinges d and have at their front portions handpieces or knobs E, of any suitable kind, to be used for opening and closing the doors. Journaled transversely in the lower portion of. the casing or compartment Oand at about its middle is a shaft E, which is provided with right and left screwthreads to engage the threaded nuts 9 and e, located thereon, each of which nuts has an arm e extending upwardly through slots 0 in the floor C of the casket-compartment. On the upper ends of each of the arms 6 is pivotally secured a plate I) to clamp the sides of the casket F, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The front outer end of the shaft E is provided with handles it to be used for turning the same. i Mounted on the shaft E near itsfront end is airatchet-wheel h, with which engages a pawl h pivotally se cured to the casing O or compartment, which dog and ratchet are employed to prevent the shaft E turning,exceptwhen desired. Loosely mounted on the middle portion of the shaft E is a roller g, which extends slightly through an opening g in the floor of the compartment 0, so that the bottom of the casket may rest thereon, thus causing it to be easily moved into or withdrawn from the compartment.

By turning the shaft E by means of the handles h on its front end it is apparent that the arms will be caused to approach each other, so as to clamp and hold the casket F firmly, or When it is desired to release the casket the shaft E may be turned in the opposite direction, thus causing the arms 6 and their plates b to be separated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined hearse and carriage, the combination of the carriage-body With a casing forming a casket-compartment located transversely between the front portion of the body and the boot or drivers seat, a shaft transversely journaled below the casket-casing and provided with right and left screwthreads, nuts mounted on the threaded portions of said shaft, an arm secured to each of said nuts and extending into the casketcasing, a plate pivotally secured on the upper end of each of said arms, and means on the front portion of said shaft to turn the same and to prevent it turning, substantially as described.

2. In a combined hearse and carriage, the combination of the carriage-body, with a casing forming a casket-compartment detachably secured to the front portion of the body, a shaft transversely journaled below the casket-casing and provided with right and left screw threads, nuts mounted on the threaded portions of said shaft, an arm secured to each of said nuts and extending into the casket-casing, a plate pivotally secured on the upper end of each of said arms, a roller loosely mounted on said shaft and projecting slightly into the casing, and means on the front portion of said shaft to turn the same and to prevent it turning, substantially as described.

CHARLES ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. C. TILLMAN, A. GUSTAFSON. 

